


Nocturne

by LilacNoctua



Series: Worthwhile [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: All-Nighter, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awkward Flirting, Background NejiTen, Background Relationships, But he's trying, Dancing, Fluff, Gaara is incredibly bad at flirting, Holding Hands, I threw canon right out the window, Insomnia, Kakashi vs. Gai Dance Off, M/M, Slow Dancing, background kakagai, the gang's all here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:41:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23986234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilacNoctua/pseuds/LilacNoctua
Summary: “I didn’t know dancing was fun at all,” Gaara replied. “I didn’t want to come, but I’m glad I did. I liked it.”Lee tilted his head and frowned at Gaara. “Why did you come if you did not want to?”Gaara looked away. “Kankuro said you would have been disappointed if I didn’t.”“Well, he was right!” Lee laughed. “I had much more fun because you were there, but I do not want you to feel like you should do things that make you uncomfortable on my account.”“It wasn’t that I was uncomfortable,” Gaara said quickly. “I just didn’t know how to dance and I know I won’t be sleeping tonight so I thought it better to save my strength.”“Why would you not be sleeping?” Lee asked, concern flitting across his face again.“It’s just not a sleeping night,” Gaara sighed. “It happens a lot.”“I will stay up with you!” Lee exclaimed, punching one fist into the air above his head.En route to an important meeting, our favourite group of ninja are treated to a night off in the city. Lee teaches Gaara to dance, Gaara asks Lee if he might like to take a walk.Update:Art link added to Chapter 4.
Relationships: Gaara/Rock Lee
Series: Worthwhile [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1729480
Comments: 105
Kudos: 286





	1. Reunion

“It’s very simple. Even Naruto should be able to follow along,” Kakashi explained, standing by the main gate with his arms crossed over the front of his vest. He assessed the gathering of young ninja with his one visible eye.

“But why are there so many of us?” Ino demanded. 

“Because that’s how many we need, I suppose.” Kakashi shrugged. “Now, if you’ll let me, I’ll explain the mission. Since our beloved Hokage is ‘indisposed’ and therefore ‘regretfully unable’ to attend this conference she has asked me to go in her place to represent her.”

“More like she hates the Lord of Tea and told Shizune she would rather jump off the Hokage’s tower than attend,” Sakura whispered to Ino.

“Well, yes. Though it’s better if we don’t mention that.” Kakashi smiled at his former student. “Remember, doing things that the Hokage finds unpleasant is part of my job. Now, as I was saying, I am attending in place of Lady Tsunade, and we will be meeting up with the Kazekage on our way there so that we can attend together.”

“Yeah!” Naruto cheered. “I didn’t know Gaara was going!”

“Yes, Naruto,” Kakashi bore the interruption patiently. “The Kazekage will be in attendance. So this brings us to part one of the mission. Suna’s Council requested Leaf shinobi to act as the Kazekage’s personal guard along with his siblings. His siblings had some very particular ideas about who those shinobi should or should not be. Therefore, Team Gai, once we rendez-vous with the Kazekage and his siblings, you will officially join them as part of the Lord Kazekage’s honour guard. Please take this role very seriously as the Lord of Tea has been increasingly hostile towards Suna lately.”

Lee clenched his fist and declared, “I will die before I allow anyone to lay a hand on Gaara!”

“That’s the spirit,” Kakashi said, looking deeply bored.

“You say Team Gai, and yet Gai-sensei is not here,” Neji observed.

At this, Kakashi rolled his eye and huffed. “He has gone to gather provisions.”

“Oh no,” Tenten moaned, turning slightly green.

“Don’t worry, I already have everything we need,” Kakashi reassured her and the others. “Now, for the second part of the mission. Since I am representing our Lady Hokage, I may be under a certain amount of threat myself. Therefore, I am appointing my own team as my guard. Naruto, Sai, Sakura, all you need to do is follow Yamato’s lead, stay out of trouble, and make sure I don’t live to regret this whole trip.”

“Uhh, sensei, don’t you mean. . .” Naruto started. 

“You heard what I said,” Kakashi said. Beside him, Shikamaru stifled a chuckle. “Shikamaru, your team is the back up squad. Not much you need to do but stay alert and lend support to any team that needs it. Team Kurenai, you received a briefing from Shizune earlier about a certain individual whose movements we have taken an interest in. You will be gathering intelligence under the guise of guard duty. Actually, officially you are all serving as joint guards to both myself and Lord Gaara, as are Temari and Kankuro. We want to reinforce that Suna and Konoha are close allies. As I said, the host of our conference has been behaving in a troublesome way lately, and the Hokage wants to make it clear that Suna has powerful friends.”

“And she’s going to do that by sending a group of barely adult ninja and the three most ridiculous jonin senseis in the village to guard him?” Sai wondered out loud. 

“Watch it, Sai.” Sakura shook her fist at him as the others muttered menacingly.

“That’s exactly the point,” Yamato cut in. 

“What do you mean?” Neji asked acidly.

“She didn’t choose this group for guard duty because you’re intimidating veteran shinobi with entries in other village’s bingo books. If that’s what she wanted, she would have sent an ANBU unit,” Yamato explained. “You were chosen because some of you are Kakashi’s students or teammates, Sakura is the Hokage’s own apprentice, and most of you are close personal friends of the Kazekage and his family. The impression that this gives is that you’re all willing to die for Gaara or Kakashi, and that you volunteered for this mission rather than being assigned. It also strengthens the appearance of the ties between Suna and Konoha.”

“As for ridiculous jonin,” Kakashi added, laughing. “We’re just what she has to work with. Any more questions? No? Let’s be on our way, then.”

The group set out from the village gates, walking at a leisurely pace and somehow all talking excitedly at once.

As they rounded a bend not far out of the village, they came upon Gai, wearing a bright orange backpack almost as large as he was, and jogging in place.

“You’re here at last!” He called when he saw them. “Kakashi, I have challenged myself not to stop moving for the next twenty four hours. I will remain in motion throughout meals and during the night with no breaks.”

“An excellent training exercise!” Lee shouted.

Kakashi, who had been reading as he walked, barely glanced up from the pages of his novel. “How is that any different from what you normally do?” 

He kept walking as Gai, still jogging furiously in place, opened and closed his mouth like an indignant trout.

“Can’t we at least pick up the pace a little,” Gai demanded as he jogged beside Kakashi.

“Hmm, yeah. I suppose we had better if we’re going to make the rendez-vous on time tonight.” He put his book back in his tool pouch and sprang into the treetops after Gai. Yamato and the twelve younger ninja followed on his heels.

As they did not have to make any effort to move silently or cover their tracks, they quickly reached the border of the Land of Fire and crossed into the Land of Rivers where the forest gave way to windswept rolling hills and tall grass which whipped across their shins as they ran and threatened to tangle their ankles at every step. 

The sun was beginning to set as Kakashi signalled them to halt in a hollow where the ridge of a hill would shelter them from the wind. “We’re making camp here. The Kazekage and his family should be along some time this evening. I was told they’d be able to find us, and considering the racket you’ve all been making, I don’t doubt it.”

Sai had just got a fire going and Gai was on his three hundred and twenty third jumping jack when Akamaru gave a high pitched whine and Lee began jumping up and down and waving at something in the sky shouting, “Gaara! Over here!”

The others squinted at the object hanging in the violet streaked sky over the camp, barely visible as an eyeball wreathed in sand. It retreated over the crest of the hill and three silhouettes appeared over the edge of the ridge, outlined against the setting sun. The camp erupted into chaos.

“Gaara!!” Naruto crowed. “It’s great to see you!” 

He rushed towards his old friend and tackled him in a fierce hug. Sand, which would once have ground Naruto into a bloody pulp for attempting such a thing, erupted from the gourd on Gaara’s back to create a cushion as he toppled backwards. Lee ran to help them both back to their feet.

Temari came down the hill to meet their friends and hug each of the girls in turn. Neji offered his hand to shake but was hugged instead.

Kiba was patting Kankuro on the back enthusiastically and Shino and Hinata were giggling as Akamaru leapt around him, trying to lick his face and hands. 

“Your mutt is gonna mess up my face!” Kankuro complained, laughing.

“Oh no! That would be awful!” Kiba cried, smearing his hand through Kankuro’s face paint. The scuffle that broke out was interrupted by the sound of Naruto shouting.

Lee was now holding Gaara up in the air over his head, as one might carry a priceless artifact when wading through flood water. A crowd of inky mice writhed around his feet, and he kept having to shake them out of his leg warmers as they attempted to climb him to reach Gaara. Meanwhile Naruto was digging through a small mountain of sand shouting, “Dammit, Sai! You can’t just say things like that to people!”

Sakura split away from the group around Temari and stomped towards her teammates. 

“What did he do?” she growled.

“I introduced him to Gaara and he just took one look at him and asked if the carpet matched the drapes!” Naruto explained.

“Sai!” Sakura screeched. “Get out here! I’m going to slap five years off your life!”

“Then why would I come out?” asked a muffled voice from inside the sand pile.

Surprised, Sakura and Naruto turned to Gaara.

“It’s hollow,” he said. “I’m just holding him in there. I’ll let him out when he gets his little beasts off Lee.”

The mice disappeared. The sand broke away from Sai and retreated back into the gourd. Sai shook sand out of his hair and smiled up at Gaara. Sakura’s fist collided with the side of his head and knocked him into Naruto, who dropped him on the ground in disgust. 

“You asshole!” she raged. “You can’t just say things like that to people!”

“I read in a book that when making new friends, it helps to make a joke,” Sai groaned.

“I’m really sorry, Gaara,” Sakura said. 

“He grew up in a weird sort of cult and doesn’t know how to act around people,” Naruto explained.

“Oh.” Gaara nodded. “I understand. Learning how to make friends and talk to new people is hard.”

“I suppose you had to do that too,” Sakura said softly.

“He did?” Sai asked. 

“Have we really never told you this story?” Naruto asked incredulously.

Gaara reached down regally from his perch above Lee’s head to offer Sai his hand. “Friends?”

“Yes, thank you,” Sai smiled up at him as they shook hands. Sakura and Naruto sighed in relief, and turned to walk towards the fire where the rest of the group was beginning to congregate now that the misunderstanding had been resolved.

“Lee,” Gaara said. “You can put me down, if you want.”

“Oh!” Lee blushed to the roots of his hair. “I forgot! I’m sorry!” He set Gaara back on his feet and they went to join the rest of their friends.

“Say, Gaara, how much does that gourd weigh?” Lee asked.

“Roughly a hundred pounds,” Gaara replied, shrugging.

“Wow!” Lee’s eyes shone in the firelight. “Almost as much as my leg weights! You must be able to move super fast if you put it down!”

“I’ve never tried,” Gaara said. “I don’t put it down much.”

“Not even to sleep?” Neji asked, sitting down at Lee’s other side in front of the fire.

“I don’t do that much either,” Gaara explained.

“Not even after. . .” Naruto frowned as he tried to think of a tactful way to mention the loss of Shukaku.

“No,” Gaara said slowly. “It’s better now, but I guess old habits are hard to shake.”

“Most excellent!” Gai chimed in, doing lunges as he stirred a pot over the fire. “You can keep me company tonight and ensure that I keep my word and continue to move even after I fall asleep.”

Gaara shot Lee and Neji a brief look of alarm and then said very politely, “Thank you for the offer, but I’m quite tired from the journey and think I will attempt to sleep tonight.”

“Excellent!” Gai crowed. “A good night’s sleep among friends will have you feeling youthful and rejuvenated by morning!”

“He’s always like this,” Naruto muttered to Gaara out of the corner of his mouth. 

“You get used to it,” Neji added.

“I kind of like it,” Gaara said softly, watching Gai chop vegetables while doing squats. “He’s like Lee.”

Neji rolled his eyes. Across the fire, Kankuro shot him an exasperated look, made more comical by the fact that he and Kiba both had purple paint smeared all over their hands and faces. Lee had turned bright pink, and for once, said nothing.

Later in the night, as Gaara was lying in his bedroll, pretending to sleep, he allowed himself to peek through his eyelashes at his friends on the other side of the campsite. Lee’s glossy hair shone in the dying light of the fire, and as Gaara watched, he gave a great, rattling snore, stretched all his limbs straight up in the air and let them fall, sprawled over his teammates. Tenten did not stir, but Neji grunted and pushed Lee’s arm away. Lee rolled over in his sleep and flopped across Neji.

Jealousy, fanged and slippery, writhed in Gaara’s gut. He shut his eyes tight.

“Lee!” Neji’s voice hissed in the darkness. “Get the hell off of me.”

“Sorry, Neji. You’re just so warm,” Lee’s sleepy voice answered.

Neji’s grumbling faded back into deep breathing. Gaara tucked his blanket more tightly around himself and shivered.


	2. A Night Off

Dawn found the group running south towards the Land of Rivers’ capital city and main shipping port. Upon arrival they would catch a boat to the Land of Tea.

Spirits were high and many of them were not so much running as bouncing through the long grass. At the head of the group, Akamaru chased butterflies while Kiba and Hinata chased him. Naruto, Kankuro and Choji were engaged in a lively debate about noodles. Gai kept trying to catch Kakashi’s eye to suggest a challenge but Kakashi was carefully keeping him on his blind side and chatting with Yamato and Sakura about the likelihood of attack during the conference. Everyone was optimistic, energetic, joyful even, and there was talk going around of a night off before they would have to sail.

But one member of the group was beginning to lag behind. Lee fell back from his place among his team to match Gaara’s stride. 

“You are slow today,” he remarked. “That is not like you. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Gaara tried to offer him a small smile, but it came across almost as a grimace. “I’m just tired. I think I’ve gotten too used to an office job.”

Lee laughed brightly. “I think you are still a first class ninja. But, if you would like, I could carry that gourd for you for a while.”

Gaara stumbled and skidded to a halt. Ahead of them the rest of the group slowed, then paused, wary.

“Lee,” Gaara said slowly. “I appreciate the offer; I know you’re just trying to help. But you must understand why I can’t allow that. What if another ninja asked you to let him hold your greatest weapon?”

Lee beamed at him. “But Gaara! My greatest weapon is my own two hands. And you are always welcome to hold those.”

Gaara blinked rapidly and his jaw fell slack, the sand armour crackling across his cheeks.

There was a sort of hushed collective gasp from the rest of the group and Kankuro called out, “Smooth!”

Neji had dropped his face into his hands and Tenten had clapped her hands over her mouth. 

Their sensei’s eyes welled up and he shouted, “Lee! What a beautiful expression of manly affection and companionship!”

Kakashi smacked him in the back of the head with his book.

Gaara had to open and shut his mouth a few times before he remembered how to form words. “I . . . am?”

“Of course!” Lee’s smile grew even wider. “But I understand why you feel that way about your gourd. I will run beside you and talk to you so that the time passes faster and you do not notice your fatigue! It always helps when Tenten does that for me!”

“Thank you,” Gaara said softly. They began running after the group again.

“You know,” Lee said. It is likely we will not be able to leave the port until morning. That means we will get to spend a whole night in the city. It will be like a little vacation.”

Gaara didn’t reply. He only smiled encouragingly as Lee continued to babble all the way to the city.

“What’s up, dickheads?” Kankuro burst into the tiny hotel room crammed full of young men and kicked the door shut behind him.

“Man, can you believe they’re making us go dancing?” Shikamaru complained. He was sprawled on the floor using Choji’s stomach as a pillow. “What a drag. How do the girls always get their way?”

“Speaking of girls,” Kankuro said, stepping over Shikamaru to cram himself onto the windowsill next to Shino. “They’ve kicked me out of my own room, ‘cause Temari invited all the other girls into ours to get ready with her. What do they need each other to get ready for?”

“It’s just a thing girls do,” Neji said, perched on a nightstand.

“Yes,” Sai agreed, sprawled over the bed. “I have read that women enjoy each other’s company when dressing and like to do each other’s make up. I’d like to try it. Kankuro? Kiba?”

“Maybe another time,” Kankuro turned to glare at Kiba. “My face has had enough manhandling for a while.”

“So I got a little paint in your eye. You don’t have to be such a little bitch about it.” Kiba griped. He and Akamaru had monopolized the second bed.

“Hey, where’s Gaara?” Naruto wondered, emerging from the bathroom and belly flopping across Sai.

Kankuro made a face. “In the room next door with the senseis, finalizing travel plans. He said he’ll join us at the dance club once they’re done making arrangements for tomorrow.”

“Do you think he will actually come?” Lee looked up too quickly and nearly lost his balance as he was doing a handstand on the headboard of Naruto’s bed.

Kankuro gave him a long appraising look before abandoning the window sill and piling onto Naruto and Sai, elbows first. “Yeah, I bet he will.”

Naruto screeched in protest. Lee did lose his balance then and fell on top of Kankuro.

“Guys, I can’t breathe,” Sai wheezed from the bottom of the pile.

In a much tidier and less crowded room down the hall, Ino and Sakura were rummaging through their luggage looking for clothes for Hinata while Tenten fussed with Temari's hair. 

"Honestly Hinata," Ino groaned. "You can't wear a hoodie to a dance club. And this conference we're going to, it's a fancy event, why did you only bring hoodies?"

“This is a chance to show off a little,” Sakura added, a bit more gently. “For once we don’t have to choose outfits based on what we can fight in.”

“Well, make sure you can still fight in it. You never know, right?” Temari advised. 

“I can’t wear something like that,” Hinata protested, looking at the dress, Ino was brandishing at her.

“Why not?” Temari demanded. “What’s your problem? That would look great on you.”

Tenten forced Temari’s head forward again and started redoing a section of her hair. “Cut her a break, Temari. She hasn’t found her confidence and things have been . . . well. . . the people around her aren’t always helpful.”

“Come on,” Sakura wheedled, a cunning light in her eye. “Wear it. We’ll make sure you look beautiful and Naruto won’t be able to keep his eyes off you.”

Hinata blushed scarlet, grabbed the dress and started changing hurriedly.

“Naruto? Really?” Temari wrinkled her nose. “You’re right, she really hasn’t found her self-worth yet.”

“Be nice,” Ino scolded. “Naruto’s weird, but I guess she could do worse.”

“Actually, if you think about it, he’s kind of the best choice she’s got,” Sakura said pensively. “I mean, Sasuke’s gone. Shino, Kankuro and Sai are beyond weird. Kiba kisses his dog on the mouth. Choji only cares about food. Neji’s her cousin. Shikamaru is lazy and condescending. And Gaara, well she’s not really his type, you know.”

Temari snorted with laughter which earned her another yank on her scalp. “Shikamaru isn’t so bad.”

“No?” Ino challenged. “You see him once in a while and he tries to be all smooth with you. I see him every day. Trust me, he’s a pain. Sai, though, I think he’s alright.”

“Ha!” Sakura cackled, zipping the back of Hinata’s dress. “You just say that cause he likes to flatter you. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to kick his ass for being a total creep. He’s worse than Naruto.”

“Hey Sakura, you forgot Lee,” Tenten prompted.

“Don’t even get me started on Rock Lee!” Sakura exclaimed, brandishing a mascara wand like a weapon. “I love him, but that guy is so weird he makes the rest of them look acceptable.”

“Yeah, that reminds me,” Temari looked up at Tenten in the mirror. “Why is your weird teammate flirting with my little brother?”

“That was kind of cute, what he said earlier,” Hinata said shyly.

“Look, it’s bad enough that all I ever hear about is ‘Rock Lee this,’ and ‘Rock Lee that,’” Temari complained.

“Ugh, tell me about it!” Tenten agreed. “Lee manages to make every conversation about Gaara. Before we left the village I tried to ask his opinion on a new scroll and he just started talking about the colour of Gaara’s eyes.”

“Oh, gross,” Ino whined.

“Well, that’s two less weirdos for Hinata to worry about,” Sakura laughed.

“You know, she does have three more options,” Temari pointed out.

“Who?” Ino asked.

Temari grinned wickedly and leaned closer as Tenten finished with the last lock of hair. “The senseis,” she whispered.

“GROSS!” Ino repeated.

“Oh come on, you’ve never looked at your sensei and. . .”

“No! Stop that!” Sakura protested, pressing her hands over her ears.

“Have you seen my sensei?” Tenten asked incredulously.

“Okay, not yours,” Temari agreed. “But the other two, I’m just saying.”

“But they’re the weirdest of all!” Sakura shouted.

“Oh, you know what though,” Tenten said thoughtfully. “Remember back when we were in school? That Iruka-sensei. . .”

“Tenten, no!” Sakura scolded.

“Wait a minute,” Ino gasped. “She’s right! I had never thought about it before, but she’s right.” 


	3. Soft Lights, Loud Music

Gaara arrived at the dance club an hour later than the rest of the group, along with the three senseis. He was already weary and didn’t particularly feel like coming out, but he didn’t want to spend the whole evening moping around his empty hotel room either.

He slid into the booth where Kankuro was sitting with Shino, Kiba and Hinata, taking care not to tread on Akamaru who was curled up asleep underneath the table. 

“How’s it going?” He asked Kankuro, grimacing as he had to raise his voice to be heard over the cheerful, upbeat music.

“Oh you know,” his brother shrugged. “Everyone looks like they’re having a good time.”

“Why aren’t any of you dancing?”

“We will later,” Kiba explained. “We just wanted to get a drink or two first. We can buy drinks legally in the Land of Rivers; better take advantage while we all can.”

“That’s not very responsible.” Gaara frowned.

“Bro, listen.” Kankuro grabbed him by the shoulder. “I know you’re the Kazekage and stuff, but please, try to have fun like a normal guy for just like, one night. Okay?”

Gaara opened his mouth to answer but was distracted by something in the corner of his vision. The crowd near the booth parted as Lee hurtled past, swinging Tenten around so fast that her feet barely touched the ground, both of them singing along to the music. Neji appeared out of the crowd shortly after, flung his arms around both of them, and joined in the singing. Lee and Neji twirled Tenten back and forth between them, all three laughing uproariously as they danced.

Gaara wrenched his eyes back to his brother as jealousy roiled in his gut again, so fierce it threatened to force the air from his lungs.

“Well, they’ve certainly gotten into the spirit of it,” Kiba laughed.

“I’ve never seen Neji dance before,” Hinata said, barely audible over the music. “Or sing.”

Gaara turned to look at Hinata, as though only just now noticing that she was present. 

“You look very nice this evening,” he said politely.

“Thank you.” She blushed. “Your sister helped me. She’s very kind.”

Kankuro snorted. “Kind? Temari? Our Temari?”

“Tenten did her hair for her too,” Hinata said shyly.

Lee came barreling out of the crowd just then as the song came to an end and threw himself into the booth.

“Gaara! A new song is starting, come dance with me!” he cried.

“I can’t dance,” Gaara protested breathlessly. Lee’s cheeks were flushed, his eyes were bright, his hair was disheveled and pushed back from his forehead. He was so close that Gaara could feel him breathing. 

“I can teach you!” Lee all but dragged Gaara out of the booth and led him away to the dance floor. “See, it’s like this. Just do what I do!”

Gaara tried to copy Lee’s movements, and managed a passable, if decidedly stiff imitation. Back at the booth, Kankuro grimaced and said, “Good grief, he looks like a badly built puppet.”

But Gaara could not hear him, and might not have cared even if he could. He couldn’t drag his eyes away from Lee’s beaming face, even though it caused him to stumble over his feet a few times. He felt an answering smile beginning to creep over his own face. 

“Now you’re getting it!” Lee shouted. He grabbed Gaara’s hands and spun them both around. Gaara nearly stumbled face first into Lee’s chest and only just then noticed that something was different. Lee had changed out of his usual uniform and was instead wearing a pair of jeans and a dark green shirt that buttoned up the front. The wrappings around his hands had been exchanged for fingerless gloves. He wasn’t even wearing leg warmers over his sneakers. Gaara thought he looked fantastic, but at the same time this made him feel self-conscious about choosing to wear his usual clothes out. These days even battle clothes felt casual compared to his robes of office, and he needed the leather vest to hold up the gourd anyway.

Lee didn’t seem to care. He didn’t take his eyes off Gaara or stop smiling as they danced through to the end of the song. As the song ended, he expected that Lee would let him go back to the booth, but as he moved away, Lee reached out and tangled his fingers in the straps of Gaara’s vest.

“No, wait,” he protested. “Stay!”

“Okay,” Gaara heard himself say, as his feet moved a little closer to Lee.

“HA! MY ETERNAL RIVAL! THIS IS WHERE I PROVE THAT YOUR TOO-COOL-FOR-SCHOOL ATTITUDE IS NO MATCH FOR MY HOT-BLOODED PASSION! THAT’S RIGHT, KAKASHI! I’M CHALLENGING YOU TO A DANCE OFF!” Gai’s voice thundered over the music, grabbing everyone’s attention.

Lee made an excited squealing sound and hurried Gaara to the edge of the circle that was forming around Gai. His arm had slipped underneath the gourd so that his hand rested in the small of Gaara’s back. Gaara could not recall when that had happened, but decided he was in no hurry to move away. They watched as Kakashi, who had come to the dance club in his usual Leaf ninja uniform, rolled his eye and stood up from the bench, putting his novel away.

“It’s useless, Gai,” he gestured at his covered eye. “You know I can copy your moves before you even make them.”

“SO THE CHALLENGE IS ACCEPTED THEN! COPY THIS, RIVAL!” And with that Gai began a dance solo that Gaara was certain he must have choreographed and rehearsed earlier for this very purpose.

Beside him, Lee was cheering and shouting encouragement to his sensei so loudly that it hurt Gaara’s ear but he edged just a little closer to Lee anyway.

“What in the hell am I seeing?” Temari’s horrified voice beside him made him jump and guiltily scoot a bit further from Lee.

“Oh no! It’s Gai-sensei’s dancing suit!” Tenten groaned, appearing out of the crowd beside Temari. Gai was wearing a green jumpsuit as usual, but this one was a violent shade of lime and sparkled under the swirling lights. It had short sleeves, dramatically flared legs, and was unzipped to the navel. 

Kakashi stood watching Gai with a carefully studied air of boredom. He crossed his arms over his chest, a glass bottle loosely held in one hand. Gai finished his dance with a bold pose.

“Shikamaru?” Kakashi called. “Hold my beer.”

He passed the bottle to Shikamaru (who immediately downed its contents), and launched into a dance of his own.

“Hey! Alright, Kakashi-sensei!” Naruto shouted, shouldering his way between Gaara and Lee, and throwing his arms around both of them. 

Kakashi finished his dance and Gai started up another one. This time Kakashi pulled up his headband and began matching Gai after a few beats. They danced as mirror images of each other, their movements growing increasingly intense, daring and gravity defying, as they drew closer to the centre of the circle until they were dancing toe to toe, nearly nose to nose. The crowd around them roared and cheered, their students shouted jeers and encouragement. 

Gaara noticed none of it. He had sunk deep into his own thoughts, holding his feelings up in front of himself and analysing them as he would any other problem. With Lee’s hand on his back, he had felt a sense of lightness and a curious fluttering in his belly. When he had been dancing with Lee he had been unable to stop himself from smiling and laughing and had felt a sort of heavy warmth in his limbs. He had been nervous and awkward and yet was drawn magnetically towards Lee as though he wanted those feelings of nervousness and warmth to continue. There was also, of course, the increasingly familiar feeling of jealousy that overcame him every time witnessed Lee sharing an intimate moment with any of his other friends.

And yet, now with Naruto’s arm slung casually around his shoulder, he did not feel any of those things. It was a little unsettling, sure, but then he still wasn’t completely used to people touching him, let alone fearlessly standing in his personal space. But beside Naruto he just felt a sense of camaraderie, comfort and fondness; a different kind of warmth. Why was it different? Naruto was one of his closest friends, the man to whom he owed his life and every good thing he had been able to build in it, the unrequited love of his early teen years, someone unimaginably precious to him. He knew that Lee was precious to him also, but was Lee precious in a way so different that it could make Gaara feel like this?

His train of thought was derailed by the final chord of the song, as Gai suddenly lunged forward, grabbed Kakashi and dipped him so low that the ends of his hair brushed the floor. Kakashi stuck one foot up in the air and giggled, almost girlishly.

“So, who won?” Kakashi asked, shouting to be heard over the cheering crowd.

“Hmm,” Gai helped Kakashi back to his feet. “We might just need a rematch.”

The opening bars of a new song cut through the chatter, this one a slow love ballad. Couples began pairing up all over the dance floor.

Lee turned and Gaara’s heart jumped into his throat. 

“Save me a seat,” Lee said, gesturing towards the booth. “I will get us some drinks.”

“I don’t drink alcohol,” Gaara said automatically.

“Me neither.” Lee beamed at him. “But something cold would be very nice.”

“Sure,” Gaara agreed. He crossed the dance floor to join his brother in the booth again.

“Looks like you’re having a good night,” Kankuro remarked with a sly smile.

“Shut up, Kankuro,” Gaara said easily, turning to watch the dance floor.

Naruto approached Sakura and said something. From this distance Gaara couldn’t tell what it was but she shook her fist at him, then grabbed him by the ear and flung him across the floor. . . straight into Hinata’s arms. Naruto caught himself just in time to avoid bowling her over, and seemed to be apologizing profusely. Hinata’s face had turned an unhealthy shade of red but she gestured to the dance floor and Naruto smiled and took her hand. 

On the other side of the booth, Gaara noticed that Shino and Kiba were both on the edge of their seat. Akamaru was even peering out from under the table eagerly.

“Don’t faint, don’t faint, don’t faint,” both boys were chanting softly.

As Hinata put her arm around Naruto’s shoulder and they began swaying to the music, Shino and Kiba high fived each other.

“She did it!” Kiba crowed.

“That’s our girl,” Shino said proudly. 

Meanwhile, Shikamaru had approached Temari and she had taken to the dance floor with him, looking a little bit smug. Tenten winked at them as she waltzed past on Neji’s arm. 

Ino appeared at the booth and tapped Sai on the shoulder. “Let me show you how this is done.”

“Oh. Okay, thank you.” He followed her away, and his seat was quickly taken by Sakura.

Lee took the seat beside Gaara and handed over a cold can of soda which Gaara pressed against his overheated cheek.

“You okay?” Lee asked, concern suddenly writ large on his face.

“Yeah, just hot in here,” Gaara smiled up at him and Lee’s face softened into an expression that made the bottom drop out of Gaara’s stomach. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from Lee’s face, drawn in towards those wide dark eyes and the soft curve of a strange new kind of smile on his lips.

Sakura choked on her drink and Gaara startled away from Lee, guilt prickling up his spine again. 

“Guys, look at  _ that _ !” She pointed over Lee’s shoulder and Gaara felt oddly relieved. That is, until he turned around and saw what she was pointing at. 

In the far corner of the dance floor, Kakashi and Gai were turning in slow circles with their arms around each other, cheek pressed to masked cheek, both grinning like absolute fools. Or at least, it appeared that Kakashi was grinning from the creases around his one visible eye and the stretch of his mask. Gai’s teeth sparkled even more brilliantly than his suit in the multi coloured lights that swirled over the dancers.

“Well, I’ll be fucked,” Kankuro exclaimed.

“Lee, what do you know about this?” Sakura demanded.

Lee was visibly choked up. “Just look at them! In the springtime of their youth, and alive with the hot-blooded passion of rivalry! They are so beautiful!”

“Is he for real?” Kankuro asked Sakura.

“Incurable, I’m afraid,” she said.

Seized by a sudden wild impulse, Gaara edged a little closer to Lee and looked up at him through his eyelashes. “What about us, Lee? Are we in the springtime of our youth as well?”

“Of course!” Lee shouted, wiping a few tears from his eyes and turning the full force of his smile towards Gaara. “Why, if we are lucky, we will end up just as they are!”

Gaara felt himself blush and realized that he had backed himself into a corner, having no idea how to respond. Unhelpfully, Kankuro scooted away from him on the bench and said loudly, “So, Shino! Tell me things about bugs!”

Gaara was saved from having to say anything by the song ending and another fast paced dance beat starting up. Lee sprang out of the booth and grabbed him by the hand.

“Come on! We can dance again!”

They danced together for several more songs. Gaara still attempted to copy Lee’s movements but became flustered several times when Lee rolled his hips in a way which Gaara was starting to find incredibly  _ distracting _ . Lee never crowded into his space the way other pairs on the dance floor were doing, but one of his hands always seemed to be in contact with Gaara. Whether it was gripping his own hand to spin him around, on his shoulder, at his waist, one time winding under the gourd’s harness again for a brief moment to lift Gaara clear off his feet and spin him around. Gaara wondered if this was what drunkenness felt like. He was far too warm, and not just from the heat of the packed dance floor. His head spun and he couldn’t focus on anything but Lee’s laughing face. He almost didn’t notice that he was laughing right along with him, nor could he remember how much time had passed.

At first, the ending of each song would cause him to hesitate, but Lee would smile, and say, “Just one more.” So they would dance one more. After a few songs, Gaara stopped noticing where one ended and the next began. Everything was pounding music and whirling lights and green softness.

Then the opening notes of another love ballad began to play and he stepped back from Lee. Lee’s smile faltered slightly.

“We can dance to this one too, if you want?” Lee offered, sounding as unsure of himself as Gaara felt.

Gaara took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. Just. . . wait here for one moment. Don’t go anywhere.”

He hurried over to the booth where Kankuro seemed to be holding court for the evening, and began unbuckling his vest with clumsy fingers.

“What are you doing?” Kankuro asked, painted eyebrows shooting up to disappear under his hood as Gaara set the gourd down on the floor next to him.

“I don’t want to wear this right now,” Gaara said lamely. “Watch it for me for a few minutes.” 

He hurried back to the dance floor to find Lee again.

Lee looked bewildered at the sight of Gaara without his gourd. “What if we are attacked? I know it is unlikely but a ninja must always be prepared.”

“The sand will still come,” Gaara reassured him. He held out his hand to Lee, “I don’t really know how to do this.”

Lee laughed nervously and took Gaara’s hand. “I do not either, but we will figure it out together!” 

He pulled Gaara close so that their bodies were almost, but not quite, touching and wound his free arm around Gaara’s waist, holding their joined hands out to the side. Gaara hesitantly placed his hand on Lee’s shoulder, and they began swaying gently back and forth, turning in a vague circle.

On the far edge of the dance floor Kiba, Shino and Hinata were standing in a row with their arms around each other and their eyes closed, swaying in time to the music. Kiba’s head had come to rest on Shino’s shoulder. Ino and Sakura were dancing together while Naruto and Sai appeared to be arguing. Temari and Shikamaru were nowhere to be seen. Neji and Tenten, rather than resuming their waltz, were standing in the middle of the dance floor with their arms around each other, eyes closed, foreheads touching, not even bothering to move to the music. Kankuro and Choji were sharing snacks and looking deeply uncomfortable as their booth had been invaded by the three senseis. 

Lee’s hand was warm against the small of his back, the slow music soothing after the deafening dance beats. Everyone seemed calm and joyful, and Gaara thought he had stumbled across the type of happiness he had only ever read about. Here with Lee. Dancing like this. He knew there were genjutsus that could make a single moment seem to stretch on forever. He wished someone would cast one on them now, so that he and Lee could just go on dancing endlessly. What would happen when the song ended and its romantic spell was broken? What would he say to Lee? Under the light of the sun, instead of the soft swirling lights of the dance club, how would they explain this moment to each other?

A creeping panic began to steal into Gaara’s mind.

“Gaara?” Lee’s voice forced him to surface from his spiralling thoughts. “Are you okay? I can feel your heart racing like crazy.”

He looked up into Lee’s concerned face and felt a sudden, overpowering sense of safety that he had not felt since he was a very, very small child.

He could not speak for a moment. When he found his voice again, he smiled and said, “Stop worrying and just dance with me.”

“Okay,” Lee whispered, and pulled him closer so that the space between them disappeared. Gaara sighed and leaned his head on Lee’s shoulder. Lee let his own head rest against Gaara’s and Gaara closed his eyes and thought of nothing else.

He might not have noticed that the song had come to an end and a new one had started if Lee had not stopped moving and drawn back a step. He did not let go of Gaara. They stood perfectly still, staring at each other as the dance floor filled again with people bouncing and twirling to the lively rhythm of the music.

“Do you want to keep dancing,” Lee asked huskily.

“It’s too hot in here,” Gaara said, head spinning, legs wobbly. “Let’s go outside for a bit.”

Lee nodded his agreement. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes unnaturally shiny. Gaara guessed that the heat must be getting to him as well. 

They made their way back to the booth where Gaara buckled his gourd back on, guiltily refusing to meet Kankuro’s searching gaze, and then turned towards the door.

“We’re going for some air,” he called over his shoulder. It wouldn’t do to have his brother worrying about him.


	4. Late Night Hush

Even though it was a warm spring evening, the breeze outside felt icy compared to the stifling heat inside the dance club. Gaara shivered happily and found himself shuffling a little closer to Lee on the sidewalk. Though muffled by the walls, the pulse of the dance music was still loud and he was beginning to find it irritating.

“Do you want to walk with me?” He asked Lee, gesturing down the street.

“Should we tell them where we’re going?” Lee suggested.

“I don’t even know where we’re going. I just want to walk a bit,” Gaara said.

Lee hesitated for a moment then seemed to make up his mind. “Neji or Hinata can find us easily if they need us.”

Gaara nodded. “Besides, if any of this group can look after themselves alone, it’s you and me.”

Lee blushed scarlet and turned his face away. “No, you have had to save me before and we both know that you are stronger than me.”

“Okay fine, have it your way. I’ll just have to look after you then,” Gaara said, and acting on another bold impulse, he reached out and took Lee’s hand.

Lee yelped and Gaara nearly dropped his hand.

“You said this was okay, right?” He asked, teetering on the edge of panic.

“Yes, yes, it is fine,” Lee took a deep breath and squeezed Gaara’s hand gently. “I just was not expecting it.”

Together they wandered through the bustling streets which showed no signs of quieting, despite the passing of midnight. Light spilled from shop windows, well dressed young people hurried to and fro laughing, and older folks sat at patio tables, talking and smoking. They passed a few more dance clubs and several bars. Gaara paused briefly outside of a fancy restaurant where couples sipped wine from tall glasses at candlelit tables and the gentle strains of a violin drifted through the open doors. They passed a theatre with a blazing marquee, paused to watch a street performer juggling torches for an enraptured crowd, and crossed into a starlit park where a carved stone fountain splashed into a broad pool.

They came to a halt at its edge, light reflecting from the surface of the pool to cast luminous, rippling blue shadows across their faces. Lee turned to catch Gaara’s eye and smiled, almost shyly (though Gaara didn’t think Lee had ever felt shy in his entire life).

“I have always enjoyed dancing with friends,” Lee told him. “But tonight has been the most fun I have ever had dancing.”

“I didn’t know dancing was fun at all,” Gaara replied. “I didn’t want to come, but I’m glad I did. I liked it.”

Lee tilted his head and frowned at Gaara. “Why did you come if you didn’t want to?”

Gaara looked away. “Kankuro said you would have been disappointed if I didn’t.”

“Well, he was right!” Lee laughed. “I had much more fun because you were there, but I do not want you to feel like you should do things that make you uncomfortable on my account.”

“It wasn’t that I was uncomfortable,” Gaara said quickly. “I just didn’t know how to dance and I know I won’t be sleeping tonight so I thought it better to save my strength.”

“Why would you not be sleeping?” Lee asked, concern flitting across his face again.

“It’s just not a sleeping night,” Gaara sighed. “It happens a lot.”

“I will stay up with you!” Lee exclaimed, punching one fist into the air above his head.

“No, Lee,” Gaara tried to look stern but was fighting a smile. “You need to sleep.”

“I do not!” Lee protested. “Anyway, I can sleep on the boat tomorrow.”

Gaara shook his head. “No, I can’t make you stay up all night just because I can’t sleep.”

“Ha!” Lee shouted. “I do not need to sleep! I bet I can go without sleep for longer than you can! In fact, I challenge you!” He had leapt onto the edge of the fountain as he spoke and was pointing one finger imperiously at Gaara’s nose.

“Shh, Lee, stop it. You’ll wake people,” Gaara tugged at his wrist to make him come back down from the fountain. “You win. You can stay up tonight with me, but don’t even think about trying to stay up any longer than that. As soon as we’re on that boat, you’re going to sleep. Okay?”

“Deal!” Lee exclaimed happily, shaking Gaara’s hand. “Now, let us go and find a midnight snack. All that dancing and walking has made me quite hungry!”

Deciding what to eat took much longer than Gaara had expected. He was happy to let Lee choose whatever he wanted, since it had been his idea. But Lee seemed keenly interested in what Gaara liked, and desperately anxious that Gaara should be the one to choose without Lee influencing him. In the end Gaara bought them crepes, though he had to use sand to restrain Lee who was insisting that he should be the one to pay for the snacks.

“You taught me how to dance, it’s the least I can do, really,” Gaara reasoned, as the Sand rattled back into the gourd.

“Fine, but I will get the next one,” Lee insisted.

“I’d like that,” Gaara said, looking up at him from beneath his lashes and nibbling at the edge of his crepe. Lee looked away hastily, turning slightly red around the collar of his shirt and Gaara felt a strange thrill of triumph that he could not explain to himself.

They walked slowly and aimlessly until they reached a wide bridge which spanned the river that flowed through the heart of the capital. Lee crossed to the centre of the bridge and hopped onto the broad stone railing. Gaara tentatively climbed up beside him, eyeing the black water beneath them warily. 

Lee gave him a big smile and a thumbs up, declaring, "Do not worry. I know you do not like the water. I will not let you fall in."

"I don't actually know how to swim," Gaara confessed. And because he was sure the situation called for it, he scooted a bit closer to Lee and wrapped both hands around his upper arm, just to be safe. 

Lee was positively beaming as he sat swinging his legs over the river, finishing off the last of his crepe. Gaara had finished his long before, as Lee had told him a story about his team’s latest mission. They sat now in peaceful silence, watching the city lights reflect off the surface of the water, distorting and coalescing in the current. Here and there, couples and little groups of friends strolled up and down the lantern lit quay. 

Gaara turned to say something to Lee and noticed a smudge of chocolate sauce clinging to the corner of his lip. Without thinking, he wiped it away with his thumb. They both froze. Gaara sat motionless, one hand still gripping Lee’s bicep, the other hanging in the air between their faces. He fought down a ridiculous impulse to lick his thumb as Lee stared back at him with wide, bewildered eyes, breathing fast and shallow.

“Sorry,” Gaara mumbled, hastily wiping his thumb clean against his jacket. “You just had a bit of chocolate there.”

Lee smiled shakily. “It is okay. You just startled me.”

“Sorry,” Gaara said again.

“No really, it is okay.” Lee reassured him. “Thank you, actually.”

They lapsed back into silence and Gaara wrapped his hand around Lee’s arm again, trying not to look straight down into the water. But the earlier calm had been shattered. The air between them was thick with an unidentifiable tension and they both sat stiffly. Gaara’s pulse raced and he felt like the high collar of his jacket was choking him.

“Why don’t we walk again,” Gaara finally suggested.

“Sure,” Lee agreed easily. He spun around and leapt off the railing so fast Gaara barely saw him move. One moment he was sitting and the next he was standing on the bridge, holding out his hand towards Gaara in a silent offer of assistance.

Gaara didn’t move at first. He stared at Lee’s offered hand, considering. He didn’t need Lee’s help to get down from the railing, and he knew Lee knew that. So Lee was offering his hand to be kind? To be funny? Just because he wanted an excuse to hold Gaara’s hand again? Because he somehow knew that Gaara wanted a reason to hold his hand? Gaara took his hand, jumped down from the railing, and when Lee started to pull away, he squeezed and didn’t let go.

They began wandering again, more or less aimlessly, taking in the sights of the city. Lee kept up a steady commentary of remarks on anything and everything they encountered, and Gaara laughed and spoke just enough to encourage Lee to keep talking. He was beginning to think that this would be the most pleasant sleepless night of his life and that he could definitely get used to this, when a shout shattered the calm night air.

“LEE! GAARA!”

They both flinched and dropped each other’s hands hurriedly.

“We have been looking everywhere for you! Where have you been?” Tenten raged, as she struggled towards them with Neji leaning on her shoulder.

“Is Neji okay?” Lee rushed forward to inspect his friend.

“Oh, he’s just fine,” Tenten fumed. “He’s just absolutely wrecked.

“Wrecked?” Lee echoed, perplexed and alarmed.

“He’s drunk, Lee,” Tenten clarified through gritted teeth.

“Tenten, I am so sorry.” Lee winced. “When we decided to go for a walk, I believed that if we were needed, Neji would be able to find us.”

“I thought so too,” Tenten sighed. She elbowed her limp teammate. “Hey Neji, tell them what you said when I asked you to find Lee.”

Neji raised his head and gave Lee a lopsided grin. His cheeks were flushed and his hair hung loose and disheveled around his face. Leaning forwards precariously, he stage whispered to Lee and Gaara, “I said I couldn’t find you guys because you were Byaku-GONE! Get it?” He snorted out a laugh and dropped his head onto Tenten’s shoulder.

“What about Hinata?” Gaara asked.

Tenten grimaced. “Well, when we realized that Neji had decided to be completely useless,” she poked him hard in the ribs for emphasis, eliciting another snorting peal of laughter. “Naruto ran over and swept her right off her feet, so she fainted. Again. Kiba and Shino had to carry her back to the hotel.”

“Hinata has a crush on Naruuuuuuuuutooooooo,” Neji sang.

“Anyways, now that I’ve found you, let’s head back to the hotel,” Tenten said wearily.

Gaara sighed softly. He should have known it was too good to last. He would have to spend the rest of the evening haunting the hallways of the hotel alone while Lee slept. His imaginings of spending the early morning hours rambling through the city, listening to Lee talk and holding his hand went up in smoke. 

Lee clenched his fist at his side and declared, “I am truly sorry that you have had so much trouble looking for us, Tenten, but we cannot go back to the hotel yet.”

“Sorry, what?” There was a distinct note of warning in Tenten’s voice.

“Gaara will not be sleeping tonight, and so I promised him that I would stay up with him. That is why we were out walking.”

Tenten stared hard at Lee, hitching Neji’s limp form higher on her shoulder. He emitted a soft but unmistakable snore.

“I am sorry, but I promised,” Lee said desperately.

Tenten’s eyes flicked back and forth between Lee and Gaara and her face shifted into a knowing smile that made Gaara deeply uneasy.

“Well, I suppose it’s not your fault that Neji got falling-down drunk,” she sighed. “There’s a few groups still out for food and sightseeing, so make sure you check in with them if you cross paths. And please, just so I don’t have to worry all night while I’m holding Neji’s hair back for him, stay close to the hotel. I’ll tell Shino to send bugs out if we need to find you. He was perfectly sober the last time I saw him.”

“Yes! And Tenten, if you need to make sure Neji does not throw up in his hair, I believe Gai-sensei brought his swimming cap! You could use that.”

“That, Lee, is a wonderful idea,” Tenten said, grinning evilly.

She turned and started back towards the hotel, prodding Neji along mercilessly so that he would walk and not need to be dragged.

Lee turned to Gaara and bit his lip. “I feel a bit bad, making her look after him by herself.”

“You can go back if you want,” Gaara found himself offering. “They are your team, after all.”

“No,” Lee decided. “They will be okay. Gai-sensei is there to look after them. I made you a promise and I am going to keep it.”

Gaara bit his tongue to stop himself from pointing out that Lee had not actually promised to stay up with him. At least, not in so many words.

“So, where would you like to go now?” Lee asked.

“Let’s keep following the river,” Gaara suggested. “That will take us closer to the hotel so you can keep your promise to Tenten as well.”

As they continued along the quay, Gaara edged closer to Lee and slipped their hands together again. When he looked up, Lee was blushing faintly. He allowed his shoulder to bump against Lee’s arm as they walked, and occasionally, the back of Lee’s hand would brush ever so lightly against the side of his leg. A tingling warmth radiated up his arm from their joined hands, and every little brush and bump of Lee’s body against his made his stomach jump. He felt light headed, almost giddy, and more scared than he could remember being in a long time. Or rather, he could not ever remember feeling a type of fear like this; thrilling and addictive. He hoped the sun would rise perhaps just a little later this morning, so he could go on feeling it as long as possible. 

The moon had long since sunk below the surface of the sea and most reasonable people had gone indoors in search of their beds. Lee and Gaara were sitting side by side on the wharf, looking out over the rows of darkened ships docked in the harbour, with sails furled and riggings stowed, awaiting daybreak. 

Lee was fighting sleep hard in a desperate effort to keep his promise. But the gentle lapping of waves against the harbour wall, the warm weight of Gaara’s head against his shoulder and his slow, steady breathing were making his eyelids impossibly heavy. His head nodded forwards involuntarily and bumped against Gaara’s. Gaara immediately sat up straight and looked around.

“I am sorry, Gaara,” Lee mumbled, covering a yawn.

“No, it’s not that. Did you hear something?” Gaara asked.

“Hmm?”

“Over there,” Gaara pointed to a shadowy corner behind the harbourmaster’s office, and when Lee strained his ears, he thought maybe he could hear murmuring voices from that direction.

Gaara closed one eye and raised two fingers in front of it, sand began to coalesce in the palm of his left hand. Just as the third eye was beginning to form, a familiar booming laugh echoed along the wharf.

They looked at one another, startled. The third eye dissipated.

“Gai-sensei?” Lee called tentatively.

From the shadows he heard a muffled yelp and then Kakashi’s voice swearing colourfully. The two jonin senseis emerged into the lamplight and Kakashi affected a very guilty looking little wave.

“Um. Hi, kids,” he said.

“What are you doing out here?” Lee asked.

“We’re just doing what we always do, Lee,” Gai said grandly, listing against Kakashi’s shoulder. “Reveling in the springtime of our youth.”

“Is that what they’re calling it these days?” Gaara drawled.

“Ha! It’s not every day we get to see your sense of humour Lord Kazekage,” Gai crowed. “And I’m so proud of you for finding it. Spending time with my beloved pupil, Lee, is definitely doing you some good. Yes, indeed, Lee has a special gift for bringing out the best in those close to him. Why, just look at Neji -”

“How is Neji doing?” Lee quickly interrupted his sensei’s speech.

“Neji? Haven’t seen him since we left the dance club,” Kakashi said. “Why?”

“He was very drunk last time we saw him. Tenten was not happy,” Lee explained.

“I told you we shouldn’t let the kids drink,” Kakashi muttered.

“Don’t be like that, Rival! You and I both know that occasionally getting loose as a goose with your squadmates and waking up the next morning in a strange bathtub, slathered in chocolate frosting, is just a healthy part of being a hot-blooded and passionate ninja, seizing youth by its horns.” Tears began streaming down Gai’s face as he spoke.

Kakashi sighed heavily. “You’re bringing that up again, Gai? Really? Nevermind the kids, I forgot that _you_ shouldn’t be allowed to drink.” He turned back to Lee and Gaara. “What are you two doing out here anyway?”

“Gaara cannot sleep so we’re sitting up together,” Lee explained.

“That’s so sweet, Lee.” Gai was fully sobbing now. “You must know I’m so proud of the kind-hearted, passionate young man you’ve become!”

“Okay, it’s time for us to call it a night. Come on, Gai,” Kakashi pulled Gai away by the arm, still blubbering. “Goodnight Lee, Lord Kazekage. Remember, we sail early.”

Lee and Gaara watched the pair of senseis stumble away from the harbour, up toward the hotel. Gaara turned to Lee with wide eyes and repeated, “Chocolate frosting. . .?”

Lee could only shake his head and shrug. “I guess drunk baking must be a lot more difficult than regular baking.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out @flightlessdevotee's [beautiful art](https://flightlessdevotee.tumblr.com/post/624415612669673472/tried-my-best-to-translate-what-i-read-on/) inspired by a scene from this chapter!


	5. Daybreak

They slipped back into the hotel shortly after dawn had broken over the city, and hesitated in the lobby.

“Everyone will be waking up right about now,” Gaara whispered.

“Yeah.” Lee yawned.

Gaara wanted to tell Lee that he wasn’t ready for the night to be over, wasn’t ready for the peaceful, enchanted hush of the darkened streets, the warmth of Lee’s hand and his company, to give way to the noise and chaos that was their friends, the stress of the conference and the mission. He really wanted to tell Lee that with him he didn’t feel like a monster, or even the Lord Kazekage, but just Gaara. He wanted to tell Lee that this meant everything to him and he didn’t want Lee to leave his side ever again. But Lee had dark circles under his eyes and was yawning again. Gaara had taken up so much of his time already. He could not bring himself to ask anything more of Lee.

“I need to check on my team,” Lee said. “If Neji is okay I will grab my stuff and meet you at your room and we can walk down to the boat together.” 

“I’d like that,” Gaara whispered. They parted ways at the door to Gaara’s room, where Temari’s voice could be heard through the wall, scolding Kankuro for oversleeping.

In his own team’s room, Lee found Tenten preparing her scrolls with hands still clumsy from sleep.

“How was your night?” she asked cautiously.

A blissful smile bloomed across Lee’s exhausted face. “It was perfect. How is Neji?”

Tenten gestured at the bathroom and grimaced. Lee peeked through the door to find Neji asleep on the tile floor in a nest of towels, wearing only his underwear, his hair contained within a flowered swim cap.

“I am so sorry, Tenten. I should not have left you to take care of him on your own.” Lee groaned.

“No, don’t worry about it,” Tenten insisted. “I wasn’t about to mess up your chance to spend some time alone with Gaara, and it’s not your fault Neji can’t hold his liquor.”

“I did not realize Gai-sensei would be out so late. I thought he could help you.” Lee continued.

“Yeah, Yamato-sensei wasn’t super helpful,” Tenten grumbled. “Wait, how did you know Gai-sensei wasn’t here?”

“We ran into him at the harbour, early this morning,” Lee explained. “He was with Kakashi.”

“I knew it!” Tenten shouted. In the bathroom, Neji made a disgruntled groaning sound.

“What were they doing?” Tenten demanded, grabbing Lee by the shoulders and shaking him. “I’ve been trying to catch them for years, Lee. Years! But they’re both too stealthy.”

“Catch. . .them?” Lee repeated, uncomprehending.

“Yes, Lee! I mean, not that I want to see  _ that _ , but I know what they’re up to and they both pretend they’re not. It’s infuriating!” 

“Tenten, please,” Lee begged. “I have been awake all night. Could you at least try to make sense?”

“Lee,” Neji croaked, appearing in the bathroom doorway. “If you don’t know what she’s talking about, you’re even dumber than Naruto.”

Lee opened his mouth in indignation and then shut it again, frowning at his teammate.

“Nevermind. Let him figure it out on his own, Tenten. We have to get ready to go.” Neji stumbled towards the bed that neither he nor Lee had bothered to sleep in and began searching for his clothes.

“I hung them up for you, Neji,” Tenten said absently, examining Lee with one raised eyebrow. “So Lee, tell us about your night. Did anything interesting happen?”

“Why would anything interesting happen?” Neji asked, his voice muffled as he pulled his undershirt over his head.

“Ohhh, you don’t remember! He and Gaara pulled an all nighter together!” Tenten explained. Neji was across the room like lightning, his hangover seemingly forgotten.

“Spill it,” he demanded.

“It was wonderful!” Lee told them. “We walked all over and got some snacks and we sat on a bridge and over by the harbour and sometimes we ran into friends so we would talk to them but mostly I just talked about stuff in Konoha and about training. Nothing that important really but Gaara listened as though it was important. He is very good at listening.”

“And?” Neji demanded.

“Oh! And he held my hand!” Lee squeaked.

“Lee,” Neji pinched the bridge of his nose. “You mean to tell me that you spent the whole night out with Gaara and all that happened is you talked about nonsense and held his hand. After months of having to listen to you talk about how great Gaara is day in and day out, years of watching you two inch your way toward something more than friends, that’s all you had the courage for?”

“I do not see what courage has to do with this,” Lee said. 

“It has everything to do with it!” Neji snapped, ignoring the way Tenten was glaring at the back of his head. “If you had any courage, you would tell him how you really feel! The way you two were dancing, when you left I thought for sure. . . This isn’t like you Lee; normally you jump into everything head first.”

“But Neji,” Lee said softly. “I do not really know how I feel.”

“How can that be? Everyone else can plainly see how you feel. It’s written all over you both,” Neji stormed. “It’s worse than when you had that ridiculous crush on Sakura when we were thirteen!”

“When we were thirteen, I knew clearly how I felt. I knew that Sakura was beautiful and brave and that I wanted to protect her with my life. That was easy to figure out.” Lee explained. He dropped his head into his hands. “I know that Gaara is very special to me, but otherwise I do not know what I feel. The things I feel when he is around, or when I think about him, well, it is just so much and I do not know how to describe any of it. It almost feels like when I had that crush on Sakura, but calling it a crush seems wrong. I do not know.”

“Hey, Lee, don’t worry. We’ll help you figure this out,” Tenten said gently. “But you know, maybe you should sleep first.”

“Yes! Excellent!” Lee exclaimed. “Everything will make sense once I have slept.”

“We can talk through this with you later, if you’d like,” Neji added.

“That would be wonderful! But please, next time, maybe wear some pants!” Lee said to him earnestly. “Oh! I am supposed to meet Gaara so we can walk to the boat together!”

He grabbed his bag and dashed out the door. At the end of the hall, he skidded to a stop outside of the room that the siblings from Suna were sharing. The door was slightly ajar and he could hear Kankuro’s voice on the other side. He raised his hand to knock, but something caused him to pause.

“So what is this thing between you anyway? What does it mean?” Kankuro was asking.

“I told you I don’t know,” Gaara’s voice said heavily.

“Oh come on,” Temari scoffed. “Rock Lee doesn’t go around doing things by halves. If you don’t want to tell us, then fine, but don’t lie to us.”

“I’m not lying,” Gaara insisted. “I’ve never said anything to him, and have kept him at arm’s length for so long, because I know he has never taken anything slowly in his life, and I wasn’t ready for. . . But this is different somehow. It feels like he’s being careful, like he knows I need time somehow.”

“Have you told him you need time?” Temari asked.

“No.”

“Have you told him anything at all?” Kankuro chimed in.

“No.”

“Maybe you should?” Kankuro suggested.

“Not yet.”

“Why the hell not?” Kankuro’s exasperation echoed down the hallway.

“What if it’s not what I think?” Gaara’s whisper sounded small and broken and entirely unlike him.

“My dude, buddy, baby brother,” Kankuro spluttered. “Believe me, or for that matter, believe any other human with eyeballs that was at that dance club last night, or has seen Lee look at you or talk to you like ever. It's exactly what you think.”

Gaara didn’t respond and Lee raised his hand to knock again but once more froze with his knuckles just shy of the door.

“Let me ask you this, where do you want this to go?” Temari was asking.

“I don’t know, Temari,” Gaara growled. “I want to be around him all the time, and I would always rather talk to him or spend time with him than just about anybody else. But I don’t . . . After everything, how would I ever deserve someone like Lee? I don’t know what it is, maybe just curiosity on his part, but I have to just enjoy it while it lasts, because it can’t last long. We can be friends, he’s proved that enough times, but Lee should have someone better than me.”

There was a long echoing silence.

“Gaara, you have to stop beating yourself up like this,” Temari said softly. “That was all so long ago, and look at you now. You’re the Kazekage. You have so many people who love you, and trust you, and want the best for you.”

Lee couldn’t stand it anymore. He raised his fist and knocked on the door frame calling loudly, “Gaara! Are you in here?”

Kankuro nearly fell over himself leaping to yank the door all the way open. “Oh look! It’s Lee! Lee’s here!” he shouted.

“Hey,” Gaara said softly. “Are you ready to head for the boat?”

“Yes!” Lee exclaimed with a cheerful thumbs up. “I am looking forward to some sunshine and sea air.”

“You promised you would sleep.” Lee may have been imagining things in his sleep-deprived state, but he could swear Gaara was sticking his bottom lip out in a pout, just a tiny bit.

“Yes I did, and I always keep my promises. I am looking forward to a long and refreshing nap!” Lee amended.

“Hang on, we’re coming with you,” Temari said, snatching her bag off her bed.

The four of them walked together to the lobby and soon were absorbed by the rest of the group who were all making their way to the harbour. Neji still looked a little green and was wearing sunglasses. A few others, especially Kiba and Naruto looked to be in equally bad shape. Kakashi’s one eye was squinted half shut and looked shadowed and puffy but Gai was positively bouncing down the street with scarcely contained energy. 

Lee kept his eyes fixed on the back of his sensei’s head, attempting to silently communicate,  _ I really need to talk to you, Gai-sensei! _ He and Gaara walked close together, shoulders bumping occasionally, but neither attempted to take the other’s hand. It felt different under the bright light of early morning, surrounded by their friends’ boisterous energy.

As soon as they were aboard the ship, Gaara steered Lee into a reclining deck chair. He produced a blanket from his own luggage and tossed it over Lee.

“Go to sleep,” he commanded.

“Hey Gaara,” Lee mumbled. “This was the best night ever. Thank you.” He was asleep within seconds.

Gaara looked down at him snoring softly and allowed himself a small, wistful smile before turning away to find his notes for the conference.


	6. A Gift

Lee was not able to get Gai alone for a talk until the party of Leaf ninja bid farewell to their Suna friends in the Land of Rivers again after the conference. It had been an exhausting but ultimately not dangerous few days, in which Team Gai had shadowed Gaara and his siblings everywhere they went. At least one of them was always glued to each Sand shinobi at all times. Rotating between Temari’s hawklike scrutiny, Kankuro’s awkward attempts at bonding, and Gaara’s steadily increasing familiarity, had left Lee’s head spinning. 

There had been a few moments from the conference that Lee now cradled obsessively in his memory, replaying them over and over. When Gaara had leaned in to whisper some observation, his wide brimmed hat bumping against Lee’s temple, the warmth of his breath had gusted across Lee’s face carrying the scent of tea and his fingers had brushed the ends of Lee’s hair as he cupped his hand around Lee’s ear. Lee had not heard a word he said and, blushing, had had to ask him to repeat it. When some lord’s daughter had refused to take Temari’s hints to leave Gaara alone, he had edged as close to Lee as he could and wound his pinkie finger around Lee’s under the long sleeve of his robe. When Lee had woken up in the night in the large room both their teams were sharing and found Gaara perched on the windowsill, haloed in moonlight, looking down at him with a soft, dreamlike smile on his face, the realization that Gaara’s face was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen in his life had jolted him fully awake. Gaara had whispered, “We’re safe, Lee. Go back to sleep.” Lee had remained awake, unmoving, eyes closed, until sunrise.

And just now, as they had said their goodbyes, Gaara had reached up, brushed his fingers across Lee’s cheek and said, “I hope to see you again soon. I’m going to miss you.” Then he had wrapped his arms around Lee’s neck and pressed his face into Lee’s shoulder for one fleeting moment before turning in a whirl of sand and dashing away over the grassy plain after his brother and sister.

They had been running for hours, and were finally back among the trees of Fire Country, leaping from branch to branch. Still deep in thought, Lee reached into his vest pocket in search of a snack and found a small handful of fine, soft sand, left there like a gift. His foot missed the branch he’d been aiming for and he plummeted downwards. His face smashed into another branch, snapping his head back and he hit the forest floor in a crumpled heap, his eyes watering and his nose bleeding. Dimly, as if from a great distance, he heard confused shouting from the treetops and then Gai’s face loomed over him.

“You alright, Lee?”

Lee groaned weakly and struggled to sit up.

“What happened? That’s not like you,” his sensei asked.

“I found this in my pocket,” Lee said, holding his hand out so that Gai could see the grains of sand that rested in the palm of his hand, miraculously unspilled after the fall.

“Ah, I see,” Gai rumbled. “Young love does make fools of us all.”

Gai stood and called out to the other shinobi in the treetops. “He’s fine! We’ll catch up!”

Lee sat and rested his aching head on his knees as the words  _ young love  _ bounced jarringly around the inside of his skull.

“Is that what this is?” He murmured.

Gai settled onto the ground next to him as their friends disappeared from view. “It looks that way to me. But then, only you know how you really feel.”

“Actually, sensei, I have really wanted to talk to you about that,” Lee said.

“Of course, Lee. Let’s walk while we talk about it.”

“On our hands?” Lee suggested.

“Not this time, Lee. I think it’s best if we walk on our feet for once,” Gai said, frowning seriously into the distance. “Now, for a long time I’ve noticed that you’ve been developing feelings for the Kazekage and I think it’s plain to see that he returns your affections. I want you to know that I think this is absolutely wonderful and I, your teammates, and the rest of our friends support you wholeheartedly.”

“Um, thank you, Gai-sensei,” Lee said, blushing to the roots of his hair. “It is just that this is very new to me, and I do not really know how to talk about it or what to do.”

“Ha! Well that’s normal. I know you must look at a hot-blooded, sophisticated man like me and think, ‘Gai-sensei must have it all figured out,’ but believe me, Lee, there was a time when I was as awkward and embarrassing as any other young man overcome by the passionate throes of his first real love.”

“When was that?” Lee wondered, astonished.

“That doesn’t matter,” Gai said quickly. “What matters is, if you speak from the heart and tell only the truth, you won’t regret it later.” 

“But what if I do not know how to say it?” Lee fretted.

“Don’t they say actions speak louder than words?”

“You are right, but. . . there is something else I am worried about. What if he does not feel the same way I do?” Lee asked.

“Personally, I don’t think you need to worry about that,” Gai chuckled. “But if you confess your heart to him, and he turns you away, is that really worse than holding your feelings tightly inside yourself until they make you sick? At least then, you could move forwards and find someone else who would see you for the precious treasure that you are.”

“Yes, okay, you are right, I think,” Lee gasped, clenching his fist. “But there is just one more thing. Sensei, I have done something deeply dishonourable.”

Gai stopped walking and stared at Lee. “Go on.”

“You see, after we spent the night out in the city, we went back to the hotel,” Lee took a deep breath and wiped tears from his eyes. “And after I checked on Tenten and Neji I went to meet up with Gaara again. He was in his room with Temari and Kankuro and they had left the door slightly open and I -” he choked out a sob and dropped his face into his hands. “Forgive me, Gai-sensei! I did not knock! I just stood there and listened to what they were saying!”

Gai let out a long, slow breath. “Lee, you should know better than to eavesdrop. But I know you, and I know that’s not all that’s bothering you. What was it you heard that’s got you so worked up like this?”

“They were asking Gaara about our evening. Then Temari asked him what it was he wanted to happen, I think she meant in the future, between Gaara and I. And. . . Gai-sensei, Gaara said that he did not deserve someone like me and that he would just have to enjoy whatever this was until I found someone better. How could he say something like that, Gai-sensei?” Tears blurred the path before Lee’s feet and he came to a stop, his shoulders shaking. 

“Oh, Lee,” Gai said gently. “You are more like me, than even I ever thought.”

“What do you mean?” Lee croaked, scrubbing at his eyes.

“There is nothing more painful than watching someone precious to you tear himself down. There is nothing that will make you feel more like a failure than when the person you love as though your life depended on it cannot find a way to love himself.”

“How do you know this?” Lee wondered.

“Because I know what sort of man Gaara is,” Gai said. “He lost his parents, his guardian figures who loved him only for who he was, when he was very young. From then on, he was raised to be a weapon, rather than a human being. Because of that, he now has to learn how to be a functional person and what to do with feelings that aren’t anger, fear, or pain. He has also seen things, done things, that no small child should ever have been exposed to under any circumstances, and it’s left him broken inside in a way that can never truly heal.” Gai gazed wistfully into the distance as he spoke, as though he were seeing someone who wasn’t there. “It will take a long time for Gaara to learn that the choices he made as a child do not define him as an adult. It will take a lot of work for him to accept that the things he went through were unjust and unnecessary and that there is no way to rationalize any of it. And it will be very hard for him to believe that he is a good and complete person, worthy and deserving of the love of another.”

“I want him to know that he is,” Lee whispered.

“Lee, if this is what you choose, to love someone like him, who can find no value in himself outside of the term  _ shinobi _ or  _ kazekage _ , who cannot otherwise justify his own existence to himself, know that you are in for a long and painful journey. There will be times when you feel so helpless and desperate; if you could only make him  _ understand  _ . . . In some ways, Lee, it will be the hardest thing you will ever do. Maybe even harder than becoming a ninja without using ninjutsu or genjutsu.”

“Then, Gai-sensei, why. . .” Lee couldn’t let himself finish the sentence.

“Because he’s worth it,” Gai said softly, still gazing sightlessly into the trees along the path their friends had followed.

“Yes,” Lee whispered. “Yes he is.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please feel free to come visit me on tumblr @lilac-writes.


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